COBRA - Stand The Pressure 1985

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Eve, mine was fantastic this year and I will remember it for the rest of my life. You can imagine why and I won't go into detail because it's really none of your business, but I will say one thing: it was the best December 24th I've ever had. - Let's fly east and stop in Osaka and meet Cobra and listen to the band's debut album on AA Records with fourteen splendid goodies. Info: The original incarnation of the band was formed in 1982 by two friends who had first met in their junior high school's folk music club: Yosu-Ko (vocals/bass) and Naoki (guitar), and a mutual friend known as Mi-Chan (drums). Their first recording was the EP Break Out, released from the independent label AA Records in 1984. Naoki left that same year. They released several singles and EPs on AA Records, some of which were later collected on a CD entitled Indie Omnibus '82-'86. The band's debut featured an eye-catching cover of a boot crushing a young man's face and came with a two song bonus flexi. The band went through several member changes. Then in 1989, Yosu-Ko happened to meet Naoki and bassist Pon, who at the time were both members of the punk band Laughin' Nose but thinking of leaving. They joined Yosu-Ko, and drummer Ki-Yan completed this line-up. They were signed by a major record label, Pony Canyon, and released two full-length albums, both 1990 and a half-length album (1991). Although this incarnation of Cobra was quite commercially successful, it disbanded in December 1991 after only a year. Cobra reformed in 1999 and released a new album, simply entitled Cobra. Yosu-Ko & Naoki were the only members to return from the previous line-up; Yosu handled the bass duties as well as vocals, and the two were joined by drummer Yoshiro. This album represented a departure in the band's sound compared to their 1980s/early 1990s work, with generally quieter guitars, less of an emphasis on sing-along choruses, and more of an overall alternative rock feel. More albums followed and in 2005 Cobra was disbanded again. Two years later they reformed again and have apparently continued to be active since then, but the last record was twelve years ago. However, the band is an important part of the Japanese Oi/Punk scene and their sound has also won them many fans in Europe.

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